The District League team, Kirkheaton Rovers were in County FA Cup action last week when they entertained Farsley Celtic Juniors in the FA Trophy.
The Kirkheaton side is quite a young team but their opponents were even younger. Liam Dobson gave the District League side a 1-0 half time lead but in the second period it was the Rovers own young brigade that shone as two 18 year olds figured on the score sheet and both are local villagers.
The first to do so was Jacob Buchanon who received the ball with his back to the goal. He then turned and shot in the one movement to extend the lead to 2-0. The game was safe ten minutes from time. Mackenzie Longley, a normal third teamer who has only had two appearances for the first team as sub, met a square ball and slipped it calmly under Farsley’s keeper.
Kirkheaton are now in the last sixteen and will travel to Horbury Town Reserves in January.
Some weeks the League fixtures pair a top team with a bottom and on other weekends, there are few six pointers – last week there were several of those.
In Division One, it was at the bottom when bottom club Scholes played at home against Netherton.
Netherton played down the slope in the first half and should have been in front early but a string of missed chances meant they did not go in front until Roy Gilpin’s right foot shot from outside the box struck the post before crossing the line. A mix up in the Netherton’s defence led to a Scholes equaliser from Jack Cooper before half time.
In the second half it was Scholes’s turn to have the advantage of the slope. Netherton had to “dig deep” and it brought its reward late on. A Ryan Burchael shot was saved by the keeper but Ryan O’Connor was there to score with a tap in. Then Man of the Match Burchael sealed the match with a fine shot ten minutes from time
Scholes are now six points behind both Netherton and Berry Brow with Heywood Irish a point above them.
In the Second Division, there were two six pointers. The one at the top was between leaders Skelmanthorpe and second placed Heyside and it was the Lancashire based side who came out as winners with a 4-1 victory. James Leonard scored a hat trick with Daniel Dunn adding the other. Heyside move to within two points of Skelmanthorpe and have played two fewer matches.
At the bottom of this division, the other six pointer saw KKS Spartans win for the second week in succession, this time beating Lepton by 2-1. With another bottom team, Slaithwaite also picking up maximum points in their match at Meltham, there is now only one point separating the bottom three.
In Division Three, the top four played each other so there was another two six pointers. Marsden started the day three points above AFC Lindley with both Upperthong and Flockton a further five points behind.
Last week, AFC Lindley met Upperthong in a game that provided an excellent advert for Division Three football. It was a tight affair for the whole 90 minutes and the result could have gone either way.
The goal that separated the two came when Josh Wrigley fed Richard Evans. He then played the ball around the back of the opposition defence and found Matthew Shaw, whose was making his first team debut. He took a couple of touches and dispatched the ball into the bottom corner.
Upperthong pressed strongly late on and only a fine save from Lindley’s keeper Chris Riley, who turned a fierce shot onto the bar and over to safety, prevented an equaliser.
The leaders Marsden lost 3-2 at Flockton in a game that could well have far more goals than the five that were scored.
In the first five minutes, Marsden went close on three occasions but they did eventually register in the eighth minute with a Buddy Cox goal. In the next ten minutes, it was Flockton’s turn to have three near misses but they managed to find the net in the 15th minute with a goal from Colin McLean. Marsden’s Tom White gave Marsden the lead for the second time in the 37th minute but within five minutes, a Sam Beesley free kick was well saved but McLean followed up for the leveller.
Marsden had the slope in their favour in the second half and pressed forward but in the 55th minute it was a solo effort from Nathan Appleyard that gave Flockton the lead for the first time. Marsden exerted almost constant pressure as they bombarded the Flockton goal in the last 15 minutes but they were unable to break the dogged defence.
Marsden are now level at the top on 28 points with AFC Lindley and both have played 12 games. Flockton are five points adrift but have two games in hand.
In the closely fought Division Four, the six pointer was between leaders Moorside and third placed Junction and the points were shared in a 2-2 draw. Second paced Almondbury Woolpack went to sixth placed Uppermill but came back empty handed losing 4-2. With both fourth and fifth placed, 3D and Salendine Nook, winning, the situation at the top is becoming even tighter. No club actually gained a position but the gap between top and sixth is now only nine points and with sides having played different number of games, all the top six will think they are still in with a shout.
In Reserve Division Two there was another two six pointers – one at the top and the other at the bottom. Leaders Skelmanthorpe played second placed Kirkheaton A. Goals from Glover and Joice and a penalty from Hinchliffe gave them a 3-0 win and extended their lead at the top to four points – and they have three games in hand. The only danger to them appears to be Heyside Reserves who after beating Holmbridge Reserves 6-1 are seven points behind the leaders with a match in hand.
At the bottom of this division, Netherton A and Slaithwaite Reserves were level on just four points with Upperthong Reserves on five. Netherton A’s 1-0 win over Slaithwaite lifts then out of the bottom two.
